Remote control devices are used to control electronic devices such as televisions, video cassette recorders, digital versatile disc players, stereos, digital recorders, cable boxes, etc. Most remote controls are wireless and have an internal energy source such as a battery to provide the necessary power to the remote control device. Wireless capability allows a user to control the desired electronic device from almost anywhere in a room and without having to be in physical contact with the device. As the capabilities, functionality, and complexity of electronic devices have increased over the years, so has the dependency of the user on the remote control.
Through the use of processors and programming, a single remote control, known as a universal remote control, can be used to control a plurality of electronic devices. The increased capabilities and applications of remote controls have resulted in an increased use of the internal power source, e.g., batteries, of the remote control. In some cases, the voltage of the batteries may be decreased to a point where the remote control either operates poorly and/or stops working completely. This is undesirable not only because the user loses the ability to control electronic devices without physical interaction, but also because the user's programming that is saved within a volatile memory of the remote control, for example, programming multiple universal devices and learned codes, will be lost. However, if the batteries are replaced before the voltage level of the batteries get too low, these problems can be avoided.
While many remote controls will drain their batteries to an undesirably low level without giving any indication to the user, a number of methods and apparatus have been developed to alert the user that the batteries must be replaced. For example, some remote controls will send a special “Low Voltage Display” remote hexcode to the electronic device it is being used to control. In response to this hexcode, the electronic device will display a message, such as “BATTERIES ARE LOW—REPLACE THEM SOON” on its display screen. A disadvantage of this technique is that it requires co-ordination of the remote control and the electronic device. Thus, if the electronic device does not have a display screen or is not capable of deciphering the hexcode, the message will not be displayed to the user. Moreover, this coordination between remote control and electronic device cannot be implemented if the remote control is sold as a replacement for an original remote control of a different brand and/or having different compatibility requirements.
Other remote controls have a specially dedicated light emitting diode (“LED”) that will light up when a key is pressed and the voltage of the batteries is below a certain level. Specially dedicated LED's are located on the remote control itself and do not require cooperation with the electronic device in order to alert the user of a low voltage status of the battery. However, specially dedicated LED's increase the cost of the remote, take up additional space on the remote control face, and use additional voltage from the batteries. Moreover, some remote controls have replaced the specially dedicated LED with a liquid crystal display (“LCD”) for displaying a low battery icon. These remote controls not only suffer from the same deficiencies as the LED remotes but also form the additional problem that LCD's are even more expensive.
Thus, a need exists for a remote control that can alert the user that it is in a low battery without using requiring a specially designated indicator and/or requiring cooperation with an electronic device.